Parents, Persecution and Party!
2/28/2020
The last couple of weeks before a well deserved rest over spring break have been busy to say the least. The holiday breaks allow a natural end point to current units of study. 4th grade has been working hard to finish our work on Christopher Columbus. This unit culminated in the mock trial of Columbus and his accomplices as well as the finishing of our historical writing and newspapers on Columbus and his voyages. History as they say is written by the victor. As such it does not always tell the whole story or show the whole picture of what truly happened. Columbus is one such figure. He is often credited with the discovery of America and even has his own day, celebrating him and his many accomplishments. Whilst it is true that without his bravery and courage to explore the world would probably look very different than it does today. However, was he the hero that he is often made out to be? Or is there a darker side to his story? That is what 4th grade set out to discover during this unit of study. During our studies we did indeed discover there are always 2 (or more) sides to every story. One story, that is perhaps not as well know as Columbus's is that of the Tainos. The native people of the land Columbus 'discovered'. As he was not even the first person to sail from Europe and 'discover' land that would later be named The Americas. The treatment of the Tainos by Columbus and his brother led to the eventual investigation and imprisonment of Columbus, and thus our trial. 'The People vs. Columbus, et al. At PNA we strive to encourage students growth in independent thinking and to develop open mindsets. This trial allowed students to 'get inside' the possible mindset of these people and to try and determione why they acted the way they did. Students along with their parents were split into different groups. Each representing a faction at the trial. Columbus himself, Columbus's crew, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella and lastly the Tainos themselves. Each faction was charged with crimes and was given time to develop defensive arguments. The factions then had to present their arguments to the parents and the class, determining who was most guilty party. Students not only got to learn about a darker but true side of history, they also got to engage in higher order thinking and discussions. ~Another unit of study that 4th grade needed to finish was our science work on natural Earth processes and our focus on Earthquakes. Living in Anchorage means living in an area that is prone to seismic activity. One of our driving questions in this topic was 'How can we as engineers, develop earthquake resistant buildings?' As engineers, we researched, designed and eventually made models of buildings. These buildings had to fit certain criteria, such as number of floors. They also had to use one or two methods to make the building earthquake resistant. After learning about the different types of fault lines, how earthquakes are caused and the different waves of energy released in an earthquake, our student engineers decided on 2 methods to resist earthquakes. The tuned mass damper and base isolation. They then attempted to build their structure using these methods. Our structures would be tested on a shake-table to simulate an earthquake. 4th grade were asked to present their research and buildings as part of the Science Party. Instead of the more traditional science fair. PNA held its second science party. Experts and professionals from the community were invited to PNA to demonstrate their expertise in their field. Having these experts in, showing off their knowledge and giving demonstrations, really engages the students in the topic and shows the real life applications for what they study in class. We are not just learning for its own sake. What we learn and do has wide ranging implications that will take PNA students into a successful life after school. Read everyday!
2/15/2020
We read all day, everyday without even realizing that we are doing it. We read emails, letters, texts, newspapers, books, sometimes you even read while watching TV. Reading when mastered becomes second nature and it is easy to forget the hardships and struggles we had to overcome to get there. In 4th grade, we read all across the day. We read morning messages, we read questions in math, we read to learn about our unit of study, we read stories for pleasure and articles for research. We read short stories and chapter books, maps, directions and websites. We read to learn, to be amazed, to laugh and cry and to gasp in wonder at some new learned fact or unexpected twist in the story. Students work hard to comprehend the texts they read and to stretch themselves as readers. However, one does not always picture reading as a way to learn new concepts in math. I recently came across these Sir Cumference books by Cindy Neuschwander. If you haven’t read them, you should check them out. They are clever and witty, and teach a variety of geometry topics in a way that is fun and engaging for students. Reading, allowed me to introduce a complex and tricky math unit and allowed students a platform to access the new learning in an accessible and relatable way. There are so many benefits to reading and engaging with math stories. One can never underestimate the importance of reading. “"Slow down," Radius told himself, "and measure once more." He carefully lined up the medallion and read the numbers. The first angle was 93. "Too big," he said. The next angle was 85. "Too small," he muttered.”100 Days
2/8/2020
Doing many things for 100 days is no easy task… and school is no different! 100 days of school means 100 days of learning! The 100th day of school is an exciting time in the classroom! Quite literally, this day signifies the 100th day of class in the school year. The symbolic representation, however, is much greater than that. The 100th day marks a special opportunity to reflect upon and celebrate our progress and academic achievement. So why celebrate this day? Here are five reasons: 1. It’s a milestone for children (and teachers!): Think about it… for children, especially young children and those in school full days for the first time, reaching the milestone of 100 days of school is a big deal. We talk about all of the learning we have done, and the learning yet to come. We discuss our favorite parts of school so far and what we are looking forward to. We re-visit our hopes and dreams from the beginning of the year, and see if we are on our way to meeting those goals. 2. It’s a way to practice all of the ways to make 100. From younger grades such as kindergarten, focusing on counting by 1s and 10s. Other grades spend time on 2s and 5s. By 4th grade we are multiplying, adding and subtracting 3, 4, 5 and 6 digit numbers, and using multiplicative reasoning. 100 is a good, round number to focus on. 3. It’s a day that incorporates a number of math concepts: Patterns, counting, sorting, measuring You name it, and the concept can be utilized during this day. 4. It’s a way to combine all aspects of curriculum into a focused activity: The 100th day of school is not only about math. We incorporate reading, writing, science, and social studies. It’s a whole curriculum approach to learning. 5. And finally, it’s a lot of fun! During our 100th day celebration, we play games, make pictures, dress up at 100 years of age, glue 100 collections, and more! Most important though. It is a celebration. A celebration of all that we have done and accomplished and all that we are going to do! Word Journeys
2/1/2020
Words Journeys are a differentiated and hands-on approach to our spellings and language studies. Throughout the week, the students engage in different types of games, activities and sorts to learn new word spellings and patterns. To understand and practice the spelling patterns. Then recognize and use them in the correct context. The benefit to this approach is that students are learning patterns instead of memorizing isolated words. So that in the future when they come across an unknown word. They can successfully decode and read the word by understanding its patterns.
On Fridays we have our spelling test on the words we have been practicing all week. Students then peer review each others work. Checking, marking and correcting. The following week students then get a new sort and new words that either follow a similar spelling pattern and build on what has been learnt or words that introduce a new spelling pattern completely.
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Martina HenkeMartina Henke has been a K-8 educator for 30+ years. A life-long learner, she loves working with kids of all ages, new technology, great books, fiber arts, and her wonderful family! Archives
April 2021
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